Virtual TimeClock Knowledge Base

Controlling Overtime with Shift Rules

Controlling Overtime with Shift Rules

Employees often do not realize they accumulate overtime by starting early, staying a few minutes late, or covering a shift for a co-worker. Virtual TimeClock allows you to proactively manage unwanted employee overtime via shift rules that control time clock use.

Virtual TimeClock's shift rules enable you to control time clock use and prevent unwanted overtime hours that occur due to clocking in early, incomplete lunch breaks, or working late. The rules are flexible and can qualify time clock use or require management involvement to proceed.

Courtesy Early StartWhen a user attempts to clock in before their shift begins, they acknowledge they will start work when their shift begins. Their shift start time (instead of the current time) is recorded. This rule allows workers to use the time clock at their convenience without incurring overtime or long lines at a centralized time clock.

Prevent Early StartThis option prevents employees from clocking in before their shift starts. A grace period (e.g 5 minutes) can be set. Attempts to clock in before the grace period will be refused by the program.

​Prevent Start if Shift Hours Exceed Employment Status LimitThis option monitors full and part-time employees hours, preventing users from clocking in if the shift will exceed a threshold of hours worked for the week, period, or month. This shift rule keeps management involved when employees are approaching working overtime hours.

This option allows users returning early from lunch to acknowledge they will begin working once their full lunch period is complete. Their scheduled time to return (rather than the current time) is recorded.

Prevent Early ReturnEnabling this option prevents users from accumulating unauthorized overtime by rejecting any attempt to return before they have completed their scheduled rest period.

Shift End RulesUnwanted overtime often occurs when workers clock out after their scheduled shift end time. The following shift rules can help you manage this problem:

Courtesy Late StopWhen a user attempts to clock out after their shift ends, they acknowledge that they stopped work when their shift ended. Their shift end time (instead of the current time) is recorded.

Prevent Late StopThis option prevents employees from clocking out after their shift ends. A grace period (e.g 5 minutes) can be set. Any attempt to clock out after the grace period requires users to obtain management assistance to clock out.

Creating Shifts Rules & Schedules When workers have static (or fixed) shifts, a schedule of shifts can be assigned to a worker. Workers are prevented from using Virtual TimeClock outside of their scheduled shifts.